The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-07-27
UTAH'S STATEHOOD.
The Recent Constitutional Convention
Participated In by Mormons
Alone.
What They Hope to Accomplish BY
Admission to the Union-A
Shrewd Schema.

We are permitted to make the following
extract from a private letter from a men,
Der of the Utah Commission, now in ses-
sion at Salt Lake City. 1t throws food
of light upon the movement OF the Nor
mons for statehood, and the motives
governing their action, and will be read
with interest:
SALT LAKE CITY, July 81.
Our commission is very busy
gett ng the election machinery In order for
the coming election, which takes pace on
the frs Monday in August There is a
good deal of excitement here on the SUBJ
iect: not between Democrats and Repub-
licans, but between Mormons and genthes,
or anti Mormons.
The movement for n constitutional con-
venlion which you observed and mentioned
while was in Chicago was n spontaneous
movement among the Mormons. When
say spontaneous movement 1t must be
understood TO mean that the movement
originated with the Mormon leaders, who
in their own way gave forth the lnforma-
ton that such action was TO be taken, which
was all that was needed to make II sue
cess. Mass meetings re held In every
county in the Territory, and delegates
raneement in this city on the LIST day OF July,
formally organized themselves as con-
stitutional convention, and In about seven
days Matched out a constitution IN which
polygamy is declared a misdemedROr, and
forever prohibited and another prohibiting
any union of church and state. This lat
ter provision was wholly unnecessary since
three fourths of the yo ers Of the Territory
are Mormons and under the rule and
dominion Of the church rulers, TO whom
every Mormon owes sworn allegiance,
and who from the Temple can dictate the
whole policy of the State, when admi ted,
without the clerical hand ever being seen.
In the event of admission as a State nineA
tenths of all the office-holders would be
Mormons. The Governor, Judges, Sem
ators, Representatives and oil officers would
be Mormons, and the whole policy of the
State, Legislative, executive, and judicial,
would be Mormon and in Mormon inter-
ests. Punishment for the crimes OF polyg-
amy and bigamy would be In their own
hands, iudg and juries being Mormons,
hence there would be no convictions nor
any punishment for these otfenses. And
they would not consider that they had done
any wrong in not doing so, for they claim,
and many believe, that these practices are
carried on by the sanction OF God Almighty.
That it is not only permitted but en-
joined as religious duty; and
they are taught that their obedi-
ence to God and His revelations is.
superior 10 any human law, whether legis-
lative or constitutional. The provision,
though standing on. boldly in the consti-
tuition, would be dead letter and have no
more meaning or binding force than SO
many meaningless hieroglyphics On ans
Egyptian pyramid. There is another no.
ticeable fact. The leading polygamists
are not taking any active part In the pro-
ceeding. and are in position not 10 be
caught by any promises or prohibitions
They will hold still, letting it be under
stood that they are asserting when they
really are not, because they wish the Ter
ritory admitted as eSState, SO that the Nor
mons may get control of the country, when
they will forge TO the front and assume the
reins of power. There are some very
shrewd, far-seeing men among them, and
they are laying their plans wide and deep,
and TO extend far into the future.
The constitution is to be submitted at the
general election for approval or rejection
by the people, and it is probable there will
not be n vote against 1t. since the gentiles
wholly and totally ignore the whole pro-
ceeding. and will not take any no.
tice Of it except to denounce it
as being the sublimity of hypocrisy and
deceit. 1t will get the full vote of the
Mormons who can vote. Many of them
are DISTINGUISHED. and will not vote; not
that they could not do so, as the election is
not held under any election law, but they
wish to publish to the world that none but
qualified electors voted on it. And they
will abstain from voting from motives of
policy otherwise.
think the press of the country ought to.
take up this question and yentilate the
motives and inducements that are moving
TO the adoption of this Constitution, so as
to prepare the public mind for an express
sion on it. In my opinion Utah should
never be admitted as State until the Con-
stitution of the United States is amended,
prob biting bigamy and polygamy in all
the States and Territories, declaring them
felonies, and giving the United States
Courts jurisdiction of them and the power
TO select juries who do not respect the di-
vine right of those crimes.
Suppose Utah were admitted as State,
what is there to prevent these Mormons,
who are in large majority, from immedi-
ately calling together convention and
framing new constitution. with the polyg-
amy prohibition clause left out? And what
could then be done under the doctrine of
States rights and home rule?